newsHIT Interview: Stevie Williams On Supra

Usually people as well known as Stevie Williams don’t go four years without shoes to rep, especially when they’ve floated through space in four Tony Hawk video games. Well, those rough times are no longer for the OG dirty ghetto kid, who’s now doing waist-tall switch heel back tails in Supras. Sure as hell about time someone proper hooked him up.

It’s been a while since you’ve had a legit shoe sponsor, right?
Yeah, it’s been four years strong since my last deal.

What happened with Reebok?
Everything that happened at Reebok was a challenge and a great learning experience. We had a great deal for the DGK boys and me. We traveled around the world first-class, ate good, became better friends and teammates, worked to the best of our abilities, but nothing lasts forever. The challenges outweighed the fun, and when the deal came to an end, I didn’t wanna be over there by myself, so I decided to rock without a sponsor and hang with the boys.

What were you doing when you didn’t have a shoe sponsor? I heard you would go out and buy Nikes at the store. Any truth to that?
There’s a lot of truth to that. When I finally skated in shoes other than Reebok, I wanted shoes that would make me feel like I was still dope on the board. I figured the Nikes would make me feel like MJ or something. I tried to get on the team but got shut down. But I bought them anyway ’cause they’re dope.

How does someone with such a big fan base, history in skating, and capability of reaching such a huge audience–with your presence in video games, the hip hop world, and everything else–go so long without a shoe sponsor? It would seem like you could walk onto any shoe program out there. Was it a personal choice?
It wasn’t easy, trust me. Definitely personal. I have to thank the Kayo Corp. and DGK for holding me down, along with my fans, friends, and the streets. I like a lot of brands, but I was lookin’ for the right deal. Truthfully, I’m a father and it was great to go and wear whatever type of shoe and match with my son. That always made me feel happy inside. I wanted the same for whatever brand I was gonna rep, but at that time, I didn’t know which one it was going to. I wasn’t trippin’.

So at the end of the day, why Supra over any other shoe company out there?
Supra has always been a dope team. The Muska Skytop allowed Supra to reach a platform that would make non-skaters enjoy the brand. They made a great name and market place with hard-hitting, trend-setting designs and marketing that made the team look like rockstars. I’ve been a fan and homie of Chad’s for a long time. I always spoke to the team and owners whenever we crossed paths. I have respect for Supra and they represent what I stand for today, which is skateboarding, fashion, and being fly.

People are probably going to trip out thinking of you going on trips with Jim Greco and Lizard King. How do you think it’ll pan out?
It’s gonna be dope. Me and Greco go way back since we were kids, and I have mad love for Lizard King. Everything will be awesome.

Do you have a pro model in the works?
There’s a shoe dropping in 2012. Make sure you go buy it and support ya boy.

It seems like you usually do your own thing and have been known for that in recent years–like run DGK, ride for Reebok, hang out in Atlanta. Do you think you’re going to have to adjust to riding for somebody else’s program?
It’s gonna be dope, that’s all I can say. I’m a professional so I can adjust to whatever program that’s needed. I like everybody on the team and I think it’s gonna work out great.
Was part of the decision to ride for Supra so that you could focus more on the skateboarding side of things and less on the business aspect?
Definitely. We do a great job running DGK, and this is the best thing for the business–and for me, way less stress. I will be able to spend more time on skateboarding and traveling. Taking photos and filming with the new team will be fun.

Lastly, what’s the Takeover Tour all about? Care to break it down for us?
It’s something me and my lil’ homie Nigel Sylvester are cooking up. Stay tuned for more later on.